Metal sheet lapping apparatus and method



Oct. 13, 1953 o. BUCCICONE 4 METAL SHEET LAPPING APPARATUS AND METHODFiled May 3, 1951 lawenlm im /0 BUCK/CONE,

Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OF'FICE' METAL SHEET'LAPPINGAPPARATUS. AND METHOD Dario-.Buccicone, Gary, 1nd.

Application May 3', 1951, Serial No. 224,350

6 Claims This invention relates to apparatus and methods for lappingmetal sheets, particularly for facilitating piling the sheets after theyhave been sheared in a high speed processing line.

An object of theinvention is to provide an improved lapping apparatusand method capable of lapping sheets which are emerging fromhighspeedprocessing lines Without causing cobbles in the line.

A further object is to provide an improvedsheet lapping apparatus whichoperates magnetically, but in which the magnets are energizedcontinuously and there-is no need to make and-break the circuit thereto.

Another object is to provide an improved sheet lapping apparatus andmethod which maintains control of both ends of each sheet at all times,never allowing sheets to move about freely.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, a single form of which is shownin the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic side elevational view of a lappingapparatus which embodies features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of one of the magnets of theapparatus; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged side el'evational viewof this magnet. r

The lapping apparatus of the present invention comprises a top'magneticconveyor til-and a bottom magnetic conveyor 12. The underside ofconveyor I'll and the upper side of conveyor 12 are spaced apart a shortdistance vertically, for example 4 to 6 inches, although the exactspacing is not critical. An entry conveyor 4'3 introduces sheets S tothe left or entry end of said to-pconveyor, which extends somewhatbeyond thebottom conveyor at its entry end.

The top conveyor includes endless belts 1'4, sheaves l5 and 6-, and twoseries ofmagnets i1 and 18- which have downwardly facing poles. At leastone of the sheaves is power driven so tha-t belts idtravel at about thesame speed as the entry conveyor l'3. Magnets ll, which are adjacent theentry end, are all alike and are of high strength. Magnets #8 areprogressively weaker. Between the last magnet FI and the first magnet l8the under face of the conveyor has a slight upward break, indicated at[9. The underside of the portion of conveyor Hi to the left of thisbreakris substantially parallel to the upper side of the bottom conveyorl2, both preferably being horizontal. The underside of the portion ofconveyor 10 to the right of this break diverges from the bottomconveyor, preferably sloping upwardly at a small angle. The magnets 11support the sheets introduced to the top conveyor and belts l4 carrysuch sheetsto the right.

The bottom magnetic conveyor f2 likewise includes endless belts 2-0,sheaves 2i and 22', and a seriesof magnets 23; which have upwardlyfacing poles. At least one of the sheaves 2 1 or 22' is power driven,but at a rate such that beltsZ-B travel much more slowly than belts 4%.All of the magnets 23 are strong magnets, of about the same strength asmagnets H of the top conveyor HI.

As a sheet travels along the underside of the top conveyor HI; magnetsi? hold the sheet thereon until the leading end of the sheet passes thebreak 19. Ther'eupon the leading end continues to advance along thetop-conveyor, being held by the weaker magnets 18-, but the trailing endof the sheet automatically breaks loose and is attractedby magnets 23 tothe bottom conveyor- For an instant the leading end remains held to thetop conveyor and the trailing end to' the bottom conveyor, but since themagnets of the latter are much stronger than the magnets 48,

almost immediately the leading end breaks loose and also goes to thebottom conveyor. Since the bottom conveyor travels more slowly than theconveyor, the sheets are lappedas they are'depositedthereon. A suitablereceiving means R issituated at the exit end or the bottom conveyor and.the lapped sheets are piled thereon.

Figures 2 and 3- show the details of a preferred construction of magnetsII and belt mounting the top conveyor. Each magnet l includesa yoke 24and a core 25 both of magnetic material. The core preferably is of shortlength. and relatively wide rectangular cross section and carries awinding 26:. The magnets can be supported in any suitable fashion, suchas by side plates 21 which engage the yokes and also can :serve asmountingsfor sheaves l5 and i6. If desired, several conveyors similarlyconstructed can be supported side by side for handling wide sheets. thelapping device operates most successfully with short length, highintensity poles of substantially rectangular cross section; Consequentlythe lower end of core v2 5 carries a pole extension 28 of suchconfiguration and the ends of the arms of yoke 24 taper down at 2 9 toabout the same longitudinal length as .said pole extension. The arms oryoke 24: and the pole extension 28. carry a transverse axle 30 ofnon-magnetic material. Rollers 3|, also of n'on-magnetic material, aremounted on said axle, preferably on antifriction bearings 32. Theconveyor belts l4 ride on said rollers. The conveyor can be equippedwith any suitable belt tensioning means, not shown.

Magnets l8 in the top conveyor are similarly constructed, except asalready stated, they are of lower strength, preferably progressivelydiminishing in strength away from the break l9. Magnets 23 in the bottomconveyor likewise are similarly constructed, except they are invertedand their polarity is different. The pole extensions 28 of all themagnets l! furnish poles of one polarity, which can be either north orsouth. The ends of yokes 24 of all the magnets ll furnish poles of theopposite polarity. The pole extensions of all the magnets 23 furnishpoles of polarity opposite that of the pole extensions of magnet l'l.The ends of the yokes of all the magnets 23 furnish poles of polarityopposite that of the end of the yokes of magnet H. The arrangement ofpolarity of magnets l8 does not appear to be critical.

From the foregoing description it is seen that the present inventionprovides a method of lapping sheets in which the sheets automaticallyare transferred from the top conveyor to the bottom conveyor in lappedrelation without need for making and breaking the circuit to themagnets. Consequently there is no time lost as magnets are beingenergized and de-energized and no reliance on the repeated operation ofa mechanical switch. The leading end of each sheet remains in contactwith the upper conveyor until the trailing end is firmly in contact withthe lower conveyor. Hence it is seen that at least one end of each sheetis fully under control of magnets at all times and sheets never are freeto become misaligned. I have found that the continuous energization ofthe magnets and the constant control exercised on the sheets enables thelapping device to operate at practically any speed and yet lap sheetssmoothly without causing cobbles in the line.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of theinvention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I donot wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sheet lapping apparatus comprising superposed spaced apart top andbottom magnetic conveyors, said top conveyor being adapted to carrysheets on its underside and said bottom conveyor to carry sheets on itsupper side, said top conveyor extending beyond said bottom conveyor atits entry end and having a portion adjacent this entry end where itsunderside is substantially parallel to the upper side of said bottomconveyor and another portion where its underside diverges from the upperside of said bottom conveyor.

2. A sheet lapping apparatus comprising superposed spaced apart top andbottom conveyors, said top conveyor including belts and downwardlyfacing magnetic poles adapted to carry sheets along the underside of theconveyor, said bottom conveyor including belts and upwardly facingmagnets adapted to carry sheets along the upper side of the conveyor,said top conveyor extending beyond said bottom conveyor at its entry endand having a portion adjacent this entry end where its underside issubstantially parallel to the upper side of said bottom conveyor andanother portion commencing intermediate its length where its undersidediverges from the upper side of said bottom conveyor.

3. A sheet lapping apparatus comprising superposed spaced apart top andbottom magnetic conveyors, said top conveyor including magnets havingdownwardly facing poles and movable belts surrounding its magnets, saidbottom conveyor including magnets having upwardh facing poles ofpolarity opposite that of the magnets in said top conveyor and movablebelts surrounding its magnets, said top conveyor extending beyond saidbottom conveyor at its entry end and having a portion of its undersidesubstantially parallel to the upper side of said bottom conveyor and aportion of its underside diverging from said bottom conveyor, themagnets in the parallel portion of said top conveyor being of greaterstrength than those in the diverging portion.

4. A sheet lapping apparatus comprising superposed spaced apart top andbottom magnetic conveyors, said top conveyor including magnets havingdownwardly facing poles, sheaves at each end, at least one of which ispower driven, and endless belts surrounding said sheaves and magnets,said bottom conveyor including magnets having upwardly facing poles ofpolarity opposite that of the magnets in said top conveyor, sheaves ateach end, at least one of which is power driven, and endless beltssurrounding its sheaves and magnets, the belts of said top conveyorbeing adapted to be driven faster than those of said bottom conveyor,said top conveyor extending beyond said bottom conveyor at its entryend, and having a portion of its underside adjacent the entry endsubstantially parallel to the upper side of said bottom conveyor and aportion of its underside commencing intermediate its length divergingfrom said bottom conveyor, the magnets in the parallel portion of saidtop conveyor being of greater strength than those in the divergingportion.

5. A method of lapping sheets comprising introducing the sheets to theunderside of a magnetic conveyor having downwardly facing magneticpoles, changing the plane of travel of the leading ends of the sheets inan upward direction and thereby breaking the trailing ends away from theconveyor, attracting the trailing ends as they break away to a secondmagnetic conveyor spaced beneath the first conveyor and traveling moreslowly, and then breaking the leading ends away from the first conveyorand attracting them to the second conveyor.

6. A method of lapping sheets comprising introducing the sheets to theunderside of a continuously energized magnetic conveyor havingdownwardly facing magnetic poles, changing the plane of travel of theleading ends of the sheets in an upward direction and thereby breakingthe trailing ends away from the conveyor, attracting the trailing endsas they break away to a second continuously energized magnetic conveyorspaced beneath said first conveyor and having upwardly facing magneticpoles and traveling more slowly, and then breaking the leading ends awayfrom the first conveyor and attracting them to the second conveyor.

DARIO BUCCICONE.

No references cited.

